By Emmy Bailey
Herald Correspondent
At the Sept. 8 City Commission meeting, a unanimous vote was placed against the fire assessment fee, after a large turnout from the community.
The proposed fee, discussed since October 2024, was intended to provide stable funding for fire protection services. The assessment was designed to free up general fund revenue and dedicate the fire fees toward equipment and operational costs, without increasing property taxes or cutting other city services.
After months of analysis and public notice, the commission considered community feedback. A large number of residents attended the meeting, expressing concerns over the proposed fee and providing nearly two hours of public comment. The chambers reached capacity, forcing an overflow crowd into the hallway. Mayor Art Woodruff noted it was one of the largest turnouts
the commission had ever seen.
“We appreciate the strong turnout from our residents who came out to voice their concerns regarding the proposed fire assessment fee. Local government is closest to the people, and hearing directly from our community is essential as we work to make informed and balanced decisions that reflect the needs and values of our citizens. We’ll continue to ensure transparency and share information about how City operations are funded so residents can stay informed and engaged,” Communications and Marketing Manager of the City Manager’s office, Lisa Holder, said.
“Everybody, with the exception of one citizen, was adamantly opposed,” resident of Sanford and owner of Spolski Construction, John Spolski, said. “It wasn’t just strictly, ‘I don’t want a new
tax.’ People had done their homework — they looked into Sanford’s history with fees, millage rates, and salaries. There was a lot of information.”
However, with the vote against the fire assessment fee, there is now discussion of an increase in the millage rate and the budget. Many of the residents left before this discussion, believing their battle was won, but the conversation is not over.
“It bugs me that everybody left there thinking they had succeeded, but not 10 minutes later, the commissioners were already talking about alternative ways to recoup this money,” Spolski said.
“Ultimately, it’s still coming out of those same people who attended and gave up five hours of their life to go right back to where they started.”
The city plans to maintain the same millage rate as last year. However, property tax revenues will go up due to an increase in property values.
The city is also proposing a $224.6 million budget, an increase of $15,941,946 from the previous year, claiming they have been neglecting needed asset repairs and replacements that have been neglected. The proposed budget also includes an increase in waste collection and water and sewer fees.“They had every opportunity to clarify during the meeting that if the fee was shot down, they might revisit the millage rate,” he said. “Instead, it only came up after the crowd left.”
A final public hearing about the budget will took place Sept. 22.
